The 1921 Graphic

Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross

Stronghurst Graphic,
Dec. 29, 1921

THIRD AT STATE: Fred Painter, the young son of Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Painter of Terre Haute Township, who represented Henderson County in the state spelling contest for grade and grammar school pupils at Springfield won third place. Forty-four contestants from many different counties competed, but only four correctly spelled the first list of 325 words thus qualifying them for the finals. Winner of the contest was Blake Henderson of Fulton County which is but 12 years of age-the youngest of the group of four.

SUDDEN DEATH OF MRS. SARAH WOOD: Mrs. Sarah Wood, who has of late made her home with Eschol Houtchens and family on the G. S. VanDoren farm southeast of Stronghurst, passed away suddenly on Dec. 24th. Mrs. Wood's death was due to apoplexy, the stroke coming upon her shortly after she had partaken of a hearty meal at the Raritan Opera House where the Baptist people were giving a Christmas dinner. She and her sister, Mrs. Tobe Butler of this vicinity were in the Perrine store at Raritan when she felt the illness coming on. The two women started at once for the VanDoren home and upon their arrival, Mrs. Wood lapsed quickly into unconsciousness which terminated in death at about 7 o'clock that evening.

Funeral services were held in the Raritan M. E. Church. Mrs. Wood is survived by two brothers, Fletcher Houtchens of Missoula, Mont. and George L. Houtchens of Carthage, Ill; one sister, Mrs. Tobe Butler of this vicinity; four half sisters, Mrs. Homer Justice, Mrs. Hattie Black and Mrs. Ollie Sawyer of this place and Mrs. H. Rose of Whiting, Ind.; one half brother, Roy Houtchens of Niota, Ill. and by her step-mother, Mrs. Retta Houtchens of this place.

The deceased was the widow of Hugh E. Wood of Point Pleasant Township, Warren County, who was killed in an automobile accident at Kirkwood on August 12, 1917. Her age at the time of her death was 56 years and 16 days.

KILLED IN A RUNAWAY: Charles Dover, manager of the Miller and Dover dairy near Dallas City was killed last Monday when a team of horses attached to a wagon loaded with block wood and being driven by Mr. Dover ran away and overturned the wagon. Dover alighted heavily on his head and received injuries which caused the blood to gush from his mouth and ears and render him unconscious. He died while being hurried to a physician in Dallas. Mr. Dover was 34 years of age and leaves a wife and four small children.

CHEATED DEATH: The carelessness of the engineer of a freight train last Monday evening in stopping the train on the Broadway crossing when an automobile was approaching from the south came near resulting in a serious accident. But for the fact that the particular car which covered the crossing was of heavy construction and connected with the rest of the train by strong coupling, it might have been torn loose and thrown to the side and converted into a mass of wreckage. As the damage to the freight car was slight, the auto sustained a few minor injuries such as a smashed radiator, fender, broken lights, a bent axle, and broken windshield, etc.

The auto was an Essex roadster belonging to H. N. Vaughan of this place. The driver and sole occupant was Morgan Parish, who was bound somewhere on an errand, the importance of which no doubt justified him in believing that he was entitled to a clear right of way with all switches spiked and regular traffic sidetracked. We have not heard the engineer's side of the story, but have the word of reliable witnesses that Morgan sounded no horn on approaching the crossing and gave the engineer no warning of the danger to which his train was exposed. We have also been told that Morgan claims he did not know the train was on the crossing since he was unable to see over the top of the dash of the automobile. This suggest the thought that there should be a law passed requiring automobile manufacturers to construct their cars in such a manner as to permit an unobstructed view of the roadway by small people or little children who may be driving them.

It might also be well to agitate the question of having a law passed requiring railroad companies to place "Stop, Look and Listen" signs by the side of their tracks several hundred feet from each grade crossing. (If he couldn't see over the dash, he would not be able to see any sign. No age of the driver is given.)

1896 GRAPHIC: The 17th anniversary of the marriage of Dr. and Mrs. I. F. Harter was happily celebrated by a number of invited guests. Thurman D. Steffey and Miss Molly Perry were united in marriage at the Baptist parsonage in Stronghurst on Dec. 30th. Mrs. Carrie Lant of Gladstone vicinity died on Dec. 29th. Mrs. Sylvester Burrell passed away at her home near Olena on Dec. 29th at the age of 61 years. J. W. Shook of Smithshire had engaged in the mercantile business at Decorra. Mrs. Jane Hicks, an old resident of Hopper neighborhood passed away on Dec. 19th.

***OBITUARY***MISS ANNA PORTER: Miss Anna Porter died very suddenly from apoplexy at her home in Gladstone Township, 6 1/2 miles northwest of Stronghurst on Dec. 27th. She was found in an unconscious condition by her sister-in-law, Mrs. James Porter, who immediately summoned a physician, but death occurred before his arrival. Miss Porter was about 50 years of age and had spent her entire life on the old homestead farm where she died. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alex Porter were pioneer residents of the vicinity. She is survived by her one brother, James; one sister, Mrs. C. E. Lant; three half brothers, John of Gladstone Township, Frank of Gladstone and Wilson of Colorado; and by three half sisters, Mrs. D. A. Whiteman of Monmouth, Mrs. Alice McDougal of Chariton, Ia., and Mrs. Laura Postlewaite of Tarkio, Mo. Funeral services were held at the home with interment in the South Henderson Cemetery.

OBITUARY***GEORGE ANNEGERS: George Annegers passed away at the St. Francis Hospital in Burlington, Ia. at an early hour on Monday of last week. He had been a sufferer from Bright's disease for many years and death was caused by uremia poisoning.

George H. Annegers was the oldest son of G. Henry Annegers and Anna Pahlmann Annegers and was born near Decorra, Ill. Jan. 24, 1879 and died Dec,19, 1921, aged 51 years, 20 months and 25 days. His entire life was spent in the vicinity in which he was born.

On May 29, 1901 he married Clara A. Davis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Davis of Stronghurst, Ill. She preceded him in death in September 10, 1904. To this union one son was born, Herbert A. Annegers of Stronghurst. The other surviving relatives are his father G. Henry Annegers of Stronghurst; one brother, W. C. Annegers of Princeville, Ill. and three sisters, Mrs. F. E. Smith and Mrs. E. E. Marks of Stronghurst and Mrs. C. J. Artz of Burlington, Iowa.

Funeral services were conducted by Rev. K. R. Anderson at the Maple Grove Church on Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 31st with interment in the Davis Cemetery (today, called Maple Grove Cemetery).

WEDDING BELLS-GEARHART-REENER: Raymond Gearhart, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Y. Gearhart of Raritan and Miss Icel Reener, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Reener of this place were untied in marriage in Burlington at high noon, The bride has been engaged since last fall in teaching school one and half miles southeast of Raritan. She was born and reared in this vicinity and has been popular amongst the younger set in this community. She was a graduate of Stronghurst High School with the class of 1921.

The groom is a young man of good reputation and industrious habits and has been engaged in farming with his father on the farm one and half miles south of Raritan. The newly married pair will be at home to their friends on the farm after March 1, 1922.

LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Miss Millie Ahlers who teaches near Avon held a short Christmas program with a tree and old Santa Claus. There was an attendance of 31. Miss Ahlers is spending her vacation with home folks here. Dallas City has just completed a new water system which includes a complete filtering and purification plant. The water is pumped from the Mississippi River with the intake situated in the middle of that stream where the water is 25-30 feet deep. Davis Wilson, a Roseville farmer, had his right hand so badly mangled last Monday while oiling a steam engine attached to a corn sheller that it was necessary to amputate the hand, the operation being performed at the Monmouth Hospital the same evening. Ben Matzka came down from his ranch in Canada to join his wife who came several weeks ago in a visit with relatives here during the winter. While on her way to church at Raritan last Sunday evening, Mrs. F. I. Wells had the misfortune to slip and fall in such a manner as to fracture her hip. She was taken to the Monmouth Hospital where her injuries are being cared for.

Supt. McDill of the Henderson County Poor Farm treated the six inmates of that institution to a chicken dinner with all the usual trimmings on Christmas Day. The recent cold weather has caused ice to the thickness of 4-5 inches to form on Lake Fort and skating parties have been a nightly occurrence for the past few days. Miss Lura Speck had the misfortune to slip on an ice covered porch floor of the Alex Marshall residence in the village and fell in such a way as to fracture one of the bones in her wrist. Chas. E. Pendarvis of Media, who is now a special agent for the Internal Revenue Dept. with headquarters at Peoria, is in Stronghurst looking after tax collections. The members of the Stronghurst M.E. congregation are planning to observe the first week in January as a week of prayer, preparatory to a series of revival meeting which will begin on Jan. 8th. The A.F. & A.M. and the O.E.S. lodges of the village held a joint installation of officers last Tuesday evening followed by an oyster supper which was enjoyed by about 150 members and their families.

The body of Mrs. Caroline Simpson, a former Oquawka resident who died at Tacoma, Wash. on Dec. 22nd, arrived at Oquawka and was interred in the cemetery after funeral services held at the home of Mrs. Chas. Schell, Jr. Mr. Clyde Gittings of Carman area was cranking his car and the engine kicked, breaking his right arm. Dr. Emerson was called and gave it the necessary attention.

BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Mr. and Mrs. Everett Grant and children from New Virginia arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Graham to spend a week visiting relatives. A Xmas dinner was held Sabbath day at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Stevenson by the Fritz family. "The Birds Christmas Coast" play to be given by the cemetery committee casts are as follows: Mrs. Bird-Mrs. Robt. Glenn; Mr. bird-Russell Ericson; Uncle Jack-James Sterret; Elfrieds-Lucile Zimmerman; Mrs. Ruggles-Mrs. Letha Rowley; the Ruggles children-Sara and Thelma Myers; Peony-Renena Rowley; Kitty-Barbara Dixon; Peter-Herbert Keener; Clement-Carl Woodward; Corelins-Kendall Hubbard; and Larry-David Baker. Miss Martha Whiteman who is attending school at Des Moines spent the Xmas Vacation with home folks (The use of "Xmas" throughout the edition is a first; it was popularized to save time for both writers and printers.)

GIRAFFE DISAPPEARING: The giraffe seems to be disappearing from its natural haunts in Africa. A few years ago it was quite common to encounter them in herds of 80 to 100, but now herds of 20 seem to be the average. (This is 1921 and note is being made of a disappearing species.)